Fun Kunbarrasaurus Facts For Kids

Kunbarrasaurus ieversi, the dinosaur formerly known as Minmi, was an ankylosaur and has one of the most complete dinosaur skeleton specimens. This dinosaur was discovered in Queensland, Australia by Ralph Molnar and his team.

The complete fossil consisted of parts of the skull, bones from limbs, thighs, and so on. It also had well-preserved gut contents.

This specimen was made the holotype. The genus name 'Kunbarrasaurus' contains the word 'kunbarra' which is the Mayi word for 'shield'. The Mayi language is spoken by the Wunumara people of the locality.

The genus name was given by Lucy Leahey and a few others. The species name is in honor of Ian Ievers, as the nearly complete skeleton of this dinosaur was found on his property.

Kunbarrasaurus existed about 99-105 million years ago. This Australian ankylosaur had a bone-like armor that covered its entire skin, even its tail.

The skull was flat at the top and the head had a beak-like structure. The published length of this species of Early Cretaceous is between 6.5-8.2 ft (2-2.5 m). The discovery of more bones and the complete skeleton would let researchers know more about these fascinating Australian ankylosaurs.

To know more about Kunbarrasaurus, keep reading! You can also check out Ichthyovenator and Chungkingosaurus.

Kunbarrasaurus Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Kunbarrasaurus'?

The name Kunbarrasaurus is pronounced as 'Kun-bah-rah-sor-us'. The naming was done by Lucy Leahey, Steven Salisbury, Ralph Molnar, and a few others and translates to 'Kunbarra lizard'.

What type of dinosaur was a Kunbarrasaurus?

Kunbarrasaurus ieversi was a primitive ankylosaur of Australia. Kunbarrasaurus is a member of the Eurypoda clade. This species was originally considered to be the same as Minmi, and hence, this dinosaur was formerly known as Minmi. Kunbarrasaurus had some unique features that were not found in its relatives in Asia or North America.

In which geological period did the Kunbarrasaurus roam the earth?

Kunbarrasaurus existed 99-105 million years ago. This era corresponds to the temporal range of the Early Cretaceous.

When did the Kunbarrasaurus become extinct?

This ankylosaur species probably became extinct during the early Cenomanian stage of the Cretaceous period.

Where did a Kunbarrasaurus live?

The discovery of the Kunbarrasaurus fossil occurred in Richmond, Queensland, Australia. The fossil specimen, which became the holotype, was a part of the marine sediments of the Allaru Formation of Australia. During that era, Australia was joined with Madagascar, India, and Antarctica to form eastern Gondwana. Hence, these dinosaurs belonged to the Gondwanan landmass.

What was a Kunbarrasaurus' habitat?

The habitat of this Australian dinosaur consisted of ample vegetation, including angiosperm plants, ferns, and conifers.

Who did a Kunbarrasaurus live with?

It is likely that this Australian ankylosaurian dinosaur, named by Lucy Leahey and others, lived alone instead of in a group. This assumption is supported by the fact that most ankylosaurs were solitary, as their armored bodies provided them with enough protection. Hence, they did not display group or herd behavior.

How long did a Kunbarrasaurus live?

The life span of Kunbarrasaurus ieversi may have been about 70-80 years, similar to other ankylosaurs.

How did they reproduce?

Even though the ankylosaur, Kunbarrasaurus, has one of the most complete dinosaur skeleton fossils, the reproductive structures of this species were not preserved in the holotype specimen. So, the description of the reproductive science of this dinosaur is yet to be published.

However, it can be said that this Australian dinosaur was oviparous and reproduced by laying eggs. The eggs were probably laid in nests in clutches.

Kunbarrasaurus Fun Facts

What did a Kunbarrasaurus look like?

The Australian Kunbarrasaurus dinosaur, formerly known as Minmi, had quite a unique appearance, as revealed from its description given by paleontologists.

The skin of this ankylosaurian was covered in bone-like protrusions, also referred to as body armor. The Kunbarrasaurus fossil suggests that the head, legs, back, and abdomen were covered in the armor.

The body was relatively small, with a long tail. The tail was provided with triangular plates. One of the unique characteristics of this dinosaur was its skull, which was flat at the top.

This feature appears to be a prime difference between Kunbarrasaurus and its close relative, Minmi. Additionally, the skull lacked any horns and had a parrot-like beak. The inner ear of this dinosaur was quite unusual and has been compared to the inner ear of present-day turtles.

Studies point towards the fact that Kunbarrasaurus had a relatively large inner ear for its skull size. This primitive dinosaur was four-legged and walked on all fours.

How many bones did a Kunbarrasaurus have?

Though the Kunbarrasaurus skeleton which was recovered has been one of the most complete specimens to be discovered in Australia, yet, the skeletal remains were incomplete. The fossils of this dinosaur to be recovered represent bones of a nearly complete skull, left shoulder and arm, limbs, thighs, and vertebrae.

Any future discovery of a complete skeleton would provide a better understanding of the bones possessed by this dinosaur.

How did they communicate?

There is a lack of research into the exact methods of communication used by the primitive Kunbarrasaurus. However, the science behind communication in ankylosaurs has been quite extensive.

An ankylosaurian dinosaur used its air passages and chambers to produce and modify sounds. So, a similar behavior might have been displayed by Kunbarrasaurus ieversi, as these dinosaurs have been classified as members of the Ankylosauria group.

How big was a Kunbarrasaurus?

The Kunbarrasaurus size has been revealed to be about 6.5-8.2 ft (2-2.5 m) in length. Further research would be required to ascertain its height. In comparison to its close relative Minmi, which had an estimated length of 9.8 ft (3 m), the Kunbarrasauurs dinosaur appears to have been slightly smaller.

How fast could a Kunbarrasaurus move?

Kunbarrasaurus ieversi may have been able to make quick movements using its long limbs, similar to the dinosaurs of the Minmi group.

How much did a Kunbarrasaurus weigh?

The weight of Kunbarrasaurus has not been estimated. However, since it was formerly thought to be the dinosaur Minmi, it can be assumed that both these species had similar size and weight. The weight of the Minmi dinosaurs is projected to be around 660 lb (299.3 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

There are no separate names to represent the male and female ankylosaurian dinosaurs of this genus.

What would you call a baby Kunbarrasaurus?

A baby Kunbarrasaurus would be known as a hatchling.

What did they eat?

Kunbarrasaurus ieversi was herbivorous in nature. Fortunately, the remains of this dinosaur had well-preserved gut contents as well that aided in the research of these dinosaurs. So, this specimen helped scientists point out the diet of this species, which was revealed to include fruits, seeds, leaves, and sporangia of trees.

How aggressive were they?

Given the herbivorous nature of this Australian dinosaur, it may not have been aggressive at all.

Did you know...

The discovered skeleton of Kunbarrasaurus is currently kept in the Queensland Museum.

Why is it called Kunbarrasaurus?

The genus name of this Australian dinosaur, which was published in 2015 by Lucy Leahey, Kenneth Carpenter, Ralph Molnar, Steven Salisbury, and a few others, has an interesting history behind it. The word 'Kunbarrasaurus' is the combination of the word 'Kunbarra' and 'saurus'.

While 'saurus' means 'lizard', 'Kunbarra' is a word in the Mayi language of the Wunumara people and is the Mayi word for 'shield'.

This name is a way to indicate the nature of the skin of this dinosaur, which was covered in shield-like bony plates. The species name was given to honor Ian Ievers, as the holotype specimen was discovered from his property.

What adaptations does Kunbarrasaurus have?

Kunbarrasaurus had a number of adaptations, even though it was a primitive Australian ankylosaur.

The bony outer body of this dinosaur gave it protection against the carnivorous predators of Australia, which existed during the Early Cretaceous as well.

Even though this dinosaur was a herbivore, it has been discovered that it lacked any gastrolith or stomach stone which would have aided in grinding up the plant materials. So, they certainly developed a sophisticated method for cutting up plants.

The specimen of this dinosaur collected pointed towards the members of this species having small and looped nasal passages. The nasal passages were different from what has been observed in the ankylosaurs of Asia and North America. This may have helped in preventing overheating of its bony armor.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Caviramus facts, or Xenotarsosaurus facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Cute Dinosaur coloring pages.

Second image by Matt Martyniuk (Dinoguy2).